MONTEGO BAY, St James - Railway Lane Tigers are the Western Basketball Association's Lucozade Sport Men's Championship winners after completing a come-from-behind two-games-to-one win over Hopewell Vipers in their best-of-three final that ended on Saturday at the Montego Bay Cricket Club.

Hopewell had won the first game 64-61, but Tigers tied up the series in the second game, winning 77-76. Tigers survived a furious fourth quarter from Hopewell to win by nine points (66-57) after leading by as many as 18 points late in the third quarter.

The Montego Bay-based team controlled the game from early and with high scorer Detroy Jewery and Jason Blake, who combined for 37 points, forcing the Vipers' defence back on their heels.

They, however, allowed Hopewell back into the contest in the fourth quarter after resting four of their starters. The contest was marred close to the end as a simmering argument developed into a brief punch-up, but order was quickly restored. Jewery reacted to a series of hard fouls by slapping Vipers' Oniel Gray who then retaliated by punching the Tigers player.

After the melée, five players from Tigers, including Jewery and three others who left the bench as well as Gray, were tossed from the game. Dwight Reid, who scored 24 points for Hopewell, then made three of the six technical free throws to pull his team to within seven points of Tigers at 64-57.

Before that the fans were treated to a competitive game as despite two big runs by Tigers, Hopewell clawed their way back in the fourth quarter to give their fans hope.
               
Tigers got out of the gate quickest and led 17-9 with just under a minute to go in the first quarter before Hopewell closed to within seven points at the end, trailing 19-12 after the first 10 minutes.

Tigers took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second quarter, and led by Jewery who scored six straight points in a 10-0 run, raced to a 10-point (35-25) lead with just over two minutes to go.

Hopewell rallied with an 11-4 run of their own, but trailed by 13 at half-time 39-26.

Tigers picked up the pace at the start of the third quarter and ended it with a 16-point lead (50-34).

Maybe thinking the game was out of reach, Tigers rested a number of their starters including Jewery and Blake and this opened the gate for Hopewell who responded with a 12-4 run led by Reid and Kirk Blake as they closed to within seven points with under three minutes to go.

Jewery led Tigers with 25 points and eight rebounds, Blake had 12 points, Tammy Davis had a double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots while Dorian Williams had 11 rebounds to go with his two points.

Reid scored 24 points for Vipers, Blake contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds, Gavin Forbes scored seven points while Boris Riggan had six points off the bench.


By PAUL A REID, Observer writer.